Carol Reed's award-winning adaptation of Graham Greene's short story told primarily from a child's perspective. Philippe (Bobby Henrey) is the young son of a diplomat and he idolises Baines (Ralph Richardson), his father's butler. When Baines' wife is found murdered and Baines is implicated, Philippe tries everything to point the investigation away from the butler. In doing so he makes matters worse and also discovers that his hero is not the man he thought he was.